How to avoid getting sick in the first place

I love preventative health and I am all about it this year! I thought this was really good advise, sort of common sense wisdom and wanted to share it.

Here's to staying healthy!

At a recent PATH seminar in Fargo, Dr. Goyal gave some very important, yet easy to follow, recommendations on ways to avoid getting sick.

Dr.Vinay Goyal is an MBBS,DRM,DNB (Intensivist and Thyroid specialist) having clinical experience of over 20 years. He has worked in institutions like Hinduja Hospital, Bombay Hospital, Saifee Hospital , Tata Memorial etc.. Presently, he is heading our Nuclear Medicine Department and Thyroid clinic at Riddhivinayak Cardiac and Critical Centre, Malad (W).

The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):

1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).

2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat, bathe, etc).

3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't trust salt). *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.

4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. *Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti (very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.

5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amla and other citrus fruits). *If you have to supplement >with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.

6. *Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

The swine has landed

Remember when Shea was really sick quite recently? You know, the pink eye that wouldn't go away and the fever thing that came on top of it?

Well, my doc told me yesterday it was the dreaded "Swine Flu". (insert really scary horror movie music right here)

She said it was making the rounds and that is why it took so long for him to mend.

Interesting. I hadn't planned on vaccinating him anyway and now I am glad. He has been hit by the swine and now has the antobodies and will be stronger the next time around.

I guess we all are a little stronger because we lived near him the whole time, sharing the house, couches, snuggies.

Interesting turn of events.

Good advise...

This is the #1 tip to prevent getting swine flu, so please don’t engage in this type of activity.

Don't do this...

Swine flu: 6 cases here in Washington

Speaking of Swine Flu!

The elementary school 2 blocks away from Bubble (Shea's speech therapist) has been closed down due to a confirmed case of Swine Flu.

Friday is our usual day to go in.

I am really tempted to keep a nice big moat between us and this illness.

Question:

Am I a chicken shit?

The inevitable joke

If asked 100 years ago, if an African American man would ever be elected president, the answer would have been: When pigs fly.

Look! 100 years later. Barack Obama is president and Swine Flu (flew)

Ar-ar-ar-d-ar-ar!

Sorry.

I just had to share!

Swine flu: to panic or not to panic?

The words are on everyone's lips. Nobody really seems to know how serious it is. Folks in Texas, California and now New York are understandably cautious and concerned but up here in the NW corner?

I went to get chicken food yesterday at the local Horse Supple place. I love this place; there are turkeys roaming around, 4 generations of the mellowest, kindest blond labs owning the place, horses, an aviary. Basically, it is like going to a wacky little zoo and Shea loves it.

While chatting and paying for my stuff. The proprietor said, "A doctor was just in and she says this Swine Flu stuff is the real deal. Better go right now to the hardware store and get some masks. Better safe than sorry."

Now, bless his heart for caring. And, frankly I do not want to pooh-pooh this serious threat. Especially when I read of the first death of a US citizen had occurred on Monday. Sadly, so very sadly a 23 month old child. My thoughts go out to that child's family, what a tragic loss.

So, pooh-pooh, I will not. But panic? I won't do that either.

Yesterday, I was listening to the Ron Reagan Show on Air America. Yes, that Ron Reagan, or at least his son who is a strong lefty progressive and has a radio show.

He had a respected doctor on to take caller questions about the Swine Flu. The gist was: don't panic. Be aware but, for god sake, don't panic. It seems to be a milder case here in the states and Europe or that people are taking better care of it sooner. They do not know why the Mexico cases are so serious but have a tri-country commission working on it down there (Canada, US, Mexico)

If you feel flu-y, do not panic. Do all the things that you would normally do. Don't let you kids go to school, rest, fluids, Tylenol to keep the fever down. Stay home.

Also, there were some "just basic" how to deal with germs info I found as a helpful reminder. If you sneeze in public, sneeze into the crook of your arm. Wash your hands frequently especially if you have been out and about shaking hands.

Take care of yourself so you don't get sick. Get enough sleep, drink lots of water, don't eat a bunch of crap, get a little exercise. Basically: take care of yourself.

A for goodness sake; don't panic.